July 06, Lower Hatch a kiter(with a jet ski) that was probably learning dropped his kite down and hit me. Five feet closer and it would of been lines across the neck. No apology at all from either the kiter or teacher.

At Viento yesterday about 6 kiters came down and just took over the place. Kites placed in the middle of the footpath, blocking access to the water. While my wife derigged, two of them launched a kite right over her.
Talk between kiters and windsurfers is pointless. Kiters want it to be "can't we all just get along" which translates to: "I'm going to fly my kite over top of you and if you don't like it, leave." Kiters know the rules. Every kiter who has any experience at all knows you do not launch over people on the beach. They could have walked 30 feet downwind, where there was tons of room. There was plenty of room to place kites off the main path. But kiters don't care. Windsurfers are whimps, they rule because they kite, and you better get out of their way.
If you take the time as a windsurfer to come to this forum, and to post here, please, take the time to send a well-drafted e-mail to whoever controls the access to the area where you had an issue.
The problem right now is that there are not clear rules and visible enforcement. All the crap about "self-policing" and "we don't need rules" is just that, crap. If there are no rules then I'll bring my 50ft glide hull and parasail on 1000ft lines down to the sandspit, and you'd better get the f@#k out of my way.
Freedom for everybody to anything they want all the time without regard to other peoples safety and enjoyment DOES NOT WORK.
So quit kidding yourself that the problem is going to go away or get better or whatever and let the authorities know what's going on out there. Every site is controlled by someone, a Port Authority (like Hood River or Skamania), towns, for town parks, and State Parks. If you don't let them know, then as far as they are concerned, there isn't a problem.
You have rights, you CAN make a difference. Please take the time to let someone in authority to know what happened. Keep a little note pad with you and take down a plate number. Take a picture with your cell phone. Be proactive. Let someone know that CAN change things. This is a great forum to vent, but it is not any kind of solution.

I have not, as of yet had any bad experiences with kiters. Actually I have had some memorable days sailing around them. So far I found them to be cool. I really like it when they disappear flying over the ridge line at the wall.

I think that depending on which type of craft you have you always think the other guy should go elsewhere.

I'm not talking about that, and I'm not suggesting that with a 50 foot hull and 1000 feet of line I'd be in my rights. Its hard sometimes to get a point across in the forums. I'm saying that I have a right to enjoy the water, and when I windsurf I don't put other people in danger. My whole point with the 50ft hull/1000ft lines example is just to try and prompt the thought at what point do we call time out and really think about what we're doing? We can't all just have it our way all the time. Go mountain biking on Eagle Creek Trail, and when you get cited and fined, tell the park ranger just to chill, the forest is for everyone, right? I'm not saying you directly, I'm saying anyone that thinks we all should be able to just do whatever we want on the river.
I understand what you mean about the Port, but they are just one entity, and its still worth it to tell them your concerns. I just think we can be more proactive about all this.

jumping over people is not acceptable!, this video is a couple years old, equipment has come a long way in regards to safety

No, gracie the depower feature on new kites would not prevent this or stop it at all.
If you get pulled up by a kite over land, when do you depower? By the time you could react you'd be 20 feet or more up in the air.

This video shows just how dangerous and unpredictable kiters can be,even with modern kites.

That video has very little to do with general kite safty? Do you know the story behind that video? Have you flown a new depowerable kite ?

If you watch the video and listen to the kiter Erik Eck, he tells the whole story of how it happened. It could happen today even with a depowerable kite, the depower feature would only help over water,not over land and people.

I have not flown a depowerable kite .The kiters I've talked to say the depowerable feature would not prevent the scenario in the video from happening.

You have no idea of what you are saying. My kite can loop and loop all day, and if I have it in the depowered mode, I would barely feel a tough. Believe me, I could not believe it either till I tried it. That video is so old. Kite tecnology has progressed so fast like computer technology. That would not happen these days with so many ways to depower kites. Kites today are power on demand (and stop on demad too). What a bogus statement.
Try before you deny![/quote]

2 sailors travelling in the same direction. Upwind sailor slowly passed leeward sailor. Immediately upon passing the leeward sailor, the upwind sailor swings their sail downwind, comes to a complete stop, and completely cuts off the downwind sailor. Downwind sailor swerves way downwind out of the way to avoid collision.

You cut me off at the event site. OK. No problem. Its really crowded there. We all need to deal.

Don't cut me off, then call me an a** hole. You endangered my life. I should be calling you an a** hole. But I won't, because we all need to share the waters. Would it help if I go on a kite forum and talk trash about unsafe windsurfers? Probably not.

If you can't deal with a crowded sailing site. Go somewhere else where there are less people. Most of us are doing our best to keep things safe and fun.

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